Ride bright

The majority of crashes between motorists and bike riders occur because the motorist didn’t look for the bike rider. One of the easiest ways to be seen is to wear light and bright visible clothing. Bright light, fluoro or hi-vis clothing with reflective straps and lights makes you much easier to spot and avoid.

Helmet Safety

Price and brand is not necessarily an indication of safety or performance, so don't blow your whole budget on just a helmet. Instead look for a helmet that fits well, is comfortable to wear and complies with Australian Safety Standards.

Mobile Distraction – It’s not a good look!

If you think you cannot be seen using a mobile phone while driving, you are wrong – everyone can see what you are doing and it’s not a good look.

The Motor Accident Commission has launched a mobile distraction campaign to highlight how inappropriate and dangerous looking at your mobile phone can be while driving.

MAC General Manager of Road Safety Michael Cornish says research shows people increasingly believe that using phones while driving is anti-social behaviour but that they are unlikely to alter their behaviour unless caught.

“Mobile phones are a serious and growing threat to road safety with driver inattention reported as the primary cause in almost 38 per cent of fatal crashes and 52 per cent of serious injury crashes last year,” Michael Cornish says.

“Some drivers may think they have the skill to check their phones and drive safely, but research shows that mobile phone use while driving impairs reaction time and hazard perception.

“Drivers must give their full attention at all times and using a mobile when driving has been shown to increase the risk of being involved in a crash by at least four times.

“Taking your eyes off the road to use a mobile phone is unacceptably dangerous behaviour and could cost you your life.”

Mobile phones have been targeted because they are a growing area of concern for the community.

MAC's new Mobile distraction campaign

The National Road Safety Strategy 2011-2020 recognises distraction as “a major and potentially growing problem area” and the SA Road Safety Action Plan documents the enforcement of mobiles and other distractions as a complementary measure to its key priorities.

While talking and texting have been targeted for a number of years, the increasing proliferation of smart phones has elevated the issue.

With all the functionality of desktop PC’s, mobile devices now offer the driver a multitude of distracting features.

MAC’s new campaign includes television and radio advertisements, a YouTube video and bus shelter posters.

The message is clear - looking at your mobile phone is anti-social and dangerous behaviour and not a good look.

“When driving at 60kmph, if you take your eyes off the road to look at a text for just three seconds you will travel 50m blind. Imagine if a child stepped onto the road in that time,” Michael Cornish says.

“For regional driving if you are travelling at 110kmph and you take your eyes off the road for three seconds you will travel almost 92 metres without watching the road.

“That is a long way to have travelled without watching where you are going.”

Drivers are not permitted to touch, hold or rest a phone on their body while driving and being caught doing so will cost you $375 and three demerit points.

“The fact is if you think you can get away with using your mobile while driving, think again. Everyone can see what you’re doing, including the police - it’s not a good look,” Michael Cornish says.

“All road users need to take personal responsibility for their driving. If you cannot avoid the temptation of checking your phone, plan ahead by switching it off and placing it in the boot of your car or glove box.

“If a person wishes to make or receive a call, and needs to touch any part of the phone to do so, that phone must be mounted in a commercially manufactured holder designed for that purpose.

“Learner and P1 drivers are not permitted to use any mobile phone function while driving, including Bluetooth.”

Slow down before things get HAIRY

Road Safety Minister, Pete Malinauskas saidspeeding is one of the major killers on South Australian roads and many people underestimate the increase in crash risk and injury severity that comes from even low-level speeding.

In 2015, speed was a contributing factor in 30% of fatal crashes, consistent with the five year average (30%, 2010 – 2014).

MAC Chief Executive Officer, Aaron Chia said research has shown low-level speeding is considered to be extremely common among both regional and metropolitan drivers, but the reality is that mostSouth Australians drive at or below the speed limit most of the time.

“This campaign challenges the notion that low-level speeding is a common, safe and time saving behaviour.

“The majority of people make an effort to stick to the speed limit, however the proportion of drivers who aren’t doing the right thing continue to have a big impact on road safety and their attitudes and driving behaviour need to change.

“Low-level speedinghas not seen the same degree of cultural change as other road safety issues such as drink driving and seatbelts.

“Just as driving under the influence increases your likelihood of a crash, each 5km/h over the speed limit in 60km/h zones doubles your crash risk” said Mr Chia.

The campaign will air on television, radio and digital channels, as well as featuring on bus backs, bus stops and regional billboards across the state.

Get your seatbelt together!

Seatbelts have been around since the 1970’s so it is incomprehensible that people are still dying in road crashes because they failed to wear one.

The Motor Accident Commission’s new strong and simple seatbelt message will soon be appearing across its network of 51 regional billboards.

MAC General Manger of Road Safety Michael Cornish says seatbelts are one of the primary safety features included in vehicles and if worn correctly, substantially reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a crash.

"Wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest and most effective ways of protecting yourself as the driver or passenger, yet in 2014 about 25 per cent of all vehicle occupants killed in road crashes were not wearing one," Mr Cornish says.

MAC research shows that people don’t wear their seatbelt for a multitude of reasons including complacency, discomfort and a perceived unlikelihood of having a crash.

"Wearing a seatbelt doubles your chances of surviving a serious crash, yet despite the benefits shown by road safety research, time and time again too many people do not take the time to ‘buckle up’."

Regional road users are especially vulnerable when it comes to the consequences of not wearing a seatbelt with serious injury as well as fatality figures a major concern.

"For the period 2010 – 2014, 40 per cent of people who died and 8 per cent of people who were seriously injured in rural areas were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash," Michael Cornish says.

This compares with 26 per cent for fatal and 7 per cent of serious injury crashes in metropolitan areas over the same period.

Seatbelts protect everyone in the car. In a crash without a seatbelt, the human body is subject to much greater force, resulting in far more serious injuries or death.

Anyone unrestrained can become a human missile even at relatively low speeds.